Navigating the European Accessibility Act: What it Really Takes to Make Your Website Compliant

Making sure your website is accessible to everyone is no longer just a moral imperative, it’s becoming a legal necessity.

June 28th 2025, will mark a turning point for accessibility in Europe with the enforcement of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). This directive introduces new regulations that businesses must comply with in order to provide inclusive digital experiences.

Whether you’re a developer or a business leader, read on to uncover what true compliance involves and find out how expert guidance can make all the difference.

What the European Accessibility Act is

The European Accessibility Act is a directive established by the European Union to enhance accessibility across digital platforms.

Aiming to make digital services accessible to individuals with disabilities, the EAA sets out specific guidelines that businesses must follow to make sure their websites and applications are user-friendly for all.

Why Accessibility Matters

Inclusive User Experience

An accessible website means that all users, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments, can interact with your digital content. This not only improves usability but also broadens the reach of your services.

Ethical Responsibility

Promoting digital accessibility is all part of creating an inclusive digital society where everyone has equitable access to information and services. It reflects your commitment to both social responsibility and inclusivity.

Scope and Objectives

• Who is affected: The EAA applies to businesses operating within the EU and those targeting EU customers. It covers websites, mobile applications, and digital services.
• The goal: The EAA aims to remove barriers in the digital environment, promoting equal access and participation for individuals with disabilities.

Steps to Ensure Compliance with the EAA

1. Conduct Accessibility Audits

To comply with the EAA, is first step is thoroughly assessing the current accessibility of your website or application.

• Professional Audits: Engage accessibility experts to perform thorough evaluations, identifying areas that need improvement based on established standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
• Self-Assessments: Utilize accessible checklists and essential tools to perform an initial assessment, recognizing common accessibility issues.

2. Utilize Tools and Resources

There are some free tools which can highlight surface-level issues, but accessibility is rarely one-size-fits-all.

So although these resources are a good place to start, a professional review is strongly recommended to uncover deeper gaps and ensure compliance.

Free tools:

• WAVE: An online tool to evaluate web accessibility and identify issues.
• Lighthouse: Integrated into Chrome DevTools, it provides accessibility audits alongside performance checks.

3. Implement Best Practices for Accessibility

Incorporate accessibility into your development process by following best practices.

Design Principles

• Clear Navigation: Design intuitive and consistent navigation structures to help users find information easily.
• Typography: Use readable fonts and maintain adequate text size for better readability.
• Color Contrast: Ensure high contrast between text and background colors to improve visibility for users with visual impairments.

Content Accessibility

• Readable Content: Use simple language, clear headings, and concise paragraphs to make content easily understandable.
• Multimedia Alternatives: Provide captions for videos, alt text for images, and transcripts for audio content to accommodate users with different needs.

Read more about best practices for creating accessible content.

Ongoing Maintenance

• Regular Updates: Continuously update your website to adhere to the latest accessibility standards and address any new issues.
• Continuous Monitoring: Implement ongoing monitoring and testing to quickly identify and rectify accessibility problems.

4. Foster a Culture of Accessibility

Integrate accessibility into your company’s culture to ensure long-term compliance and inclusivity.

• Training and Education: Provide training for your team on accessibility standards and best practices.
• Inclusive Development Practices: Encourage developers, designers, and content creators to prioritize accessibility in their workflows.

Practical Tips to Enhance Accessibility

At a glance, many of the following steps might seem easy to apply. But effective accessibility depends on how well they’re executed in real-world conditions. That’s where expert guidance can make a meaningful difference.

Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Attributes

Leverage ARIA attributes to improve the accessibility of dynamic content and interactive elements, making sure they easy for assistive technologies to navigate and understand.

Provide Keyboard Accessibility

Make sure that all interactive elements, such as forms and navigation menus, can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone, benefiting users who cannot use a mouse.

Test with Real Users

Involve individuals with disabilities in your testing process to gain valuable insights into how your website performs in real-world scenarios and identify areas for improvement.

Simplify Layouts

Keep layouts simple and uncluttered to make it easier for users to focus on the content and navigate through your website without confusion.

Ensure Responsive Design

Implement responsive design practices to maintain accessibility across different devices and screen sizes, so that all users have a consistent experience.

Integrate Accessibility into Development Workflows

• Semantic HTML: Use semantic HTML elements to structure your content, which aids screen readers in understanding the page structure.
• CSS Practices: Avoid using color as the only means of conveying information. Use text labels and sufficient spacing for better readability.
• JavaScript Enhancements: Ensure that dynamic elements are accessible through keyboard navigation and properly announced by screen readers.

Automated Testing and Continuous Integration

Incorporate automated accessibility testing tools into your CI/CD pipeline to catch accessibility issues early in the development process.

Examples:

• aXe: Integrate aXe into your testing suite for automated accessibility checks.
• Pa11y: Use Pa11y for automated accessibility monitoring as part of your build process.

Leverage Accessibility Frameworks and Libraries

Utilize frameworks that prioritize accessibility to streamline your development process.

• React Accessibility: Use libraries like react-aria to manage ARIA attributes effectively.
• Bootstrap and Material-UI: These frameworks include built-in accessibility features that help developers create accessible components.

Document and Maintain Accessibility Guidelines

Create and maintain comprehensive accessibility guidelines for your development team to reference, ensuring consistency and adherence to standards across all projects.

Key takeaways

Adhering to the European Accessibility Act is essential for creating an inclusive digital presence. By conducting accessibility audits, utilizing the right tools, implementing best practices, and fostering a culture of accessibility, your business can meet EAA standards and provide a better experience for all users.

The Most Powerful Accessibility Tool? A Trusted Digital Partner

While tools and tips offer a helpful starting point, true accessibility calls for more than checklists and automation. It requires for expert insight, technical depth, and a strategic approach tailored to your business.

At Elixirr Digital, we help organizations cut through the complexity. From comprehensive audits to hands-on implementation, we partner with your team to deliver accessible, compliant, and future-ready digital experiences.

Whether you’re refining an existing platform or designing from the ground up, contact us and we’ll help you get there!

Related resources

• Our Webinar About the European Accessibility Act: Understanding the European Accessibility Act
• Read the Official European Accessibility Act: European Accessibility Act Documentation
• Explore Blogs on Accessibility: Elixirr Digital Accessibility Blogs